Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
The driver who hit you is gone, but the hospital bills and missed shifts are not. How do you get compensation? As a hit and run lawyer in Hudson, Shulman & Hill can track down evidence and every policy that may pay for your injuries, even without a name or plate number.
These claims grow out of the same work we do as a car accident lawyer in Hudson, with a few extra hurdles. If you’d like to go over your options, give us a call to schedule a free consultation. New York, We Got You.
What New York Law Says About Leaving the Scene
Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 600 requires any driver who knows, or has cause to know, that they damaged property or hurt someone to stop. Before leaving, the driver must show a license and insurance card and share their name, address, insurer, and plate number. A driver who leaves without doing this has left the scene, which is what people mean by a hit-and-run.
The criminal penalties depend on the harm. Leaving after property damage alone is a traffic infraction. Leaving after an injury can be a misdemeanor, and leaving after a serious injury or death is a felony.
Hit-and-run cases fall within our broader role as personal injury lawyers in Hudson. The criminal case and your injury claim are separate. You don’t need an arrest or a conviction to pursue compensation.
How a Hudson Hit and Run Lawyer Investigates Local Crashes
Fleeing drivers in Columbia County often use the main roads around Hudson to get away fast. Route 9 and Route 9G offer quick exits north and south. Across the river, the Rip Van Winkle Bridge puts the Thruway within easy reach.
On I-87, a fleeing driver can be miles away in minutes. On the area’s rural roads, there may be no cameras and few witnesses. Crashes after dark, and those involving pedestrians or cyclists on narrow shoulders, are among the hardest to solve.
That’s why speed matters. As your hit-and-run lawyer in Hudson, our in-house team canvasses for shop cameras, dashcam clips, and witnesses before they disappear.
Steps to Take After the Driver Flees
Your safety comes first, so don’t chase the other car. Move out of traffic if you can and call 911. Tell police what you saw, but don’t guess at details you missed.
After a hit-and-run, these steps can protect your claim:
- Report the crash to police within 24 hours
- Get medical care the same day, even if you feel fine
- Write down any part of the plate, the car’s color, make, and damage
- Note which way the car went and the exact time and place
- Get names and phone numbers of anyone who saw the crash
- Tell your own insurer about the crash right away
Keep your police report number, medical paperwork, and any letters from insurers in one place. Don’t sign a release or agree to an insurer’s account of your injuries before you understand what you may be giving up.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Unknown Drivers
An unknown driver doesn’t leave you without options. Under the state’s no-fault system, your own auto policy covers medical bills and a share of lost pay first, regardless of fault. You generally must file your no-fault application within 30 days.
Every New York auto policy also includes uninsured motorist coverage. If the driver is never found, this coverage may pay for losses no-fault doesn’t, such as pain and suffering. Some drivers also carry supplementary uninsured motorist coverage, often called SUM, which raises those limits.
These claims have strict rules. The fleeing car usually must have made physical contact with you or your vehicle. You also need a timely police report and prompt notice to your insurer, and many policies set notice deadlines as short as 90 days.
When You Have No Auto Insurance
Many people in Hudson don’t own a car. If you were hit while walking, biking, or riding as a passenger, and no one in your household has auto insurance, the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC) may help. MVAIC is a state program created for people in exactly this position.
To qualify, you must have been a New York resident at the time of the crash and have no other auto coverage available. The crash must be reported to police within 24 hours. For a hit-and-run, you must also file a Notice of Intention to make a claim within 90 days.
Shulman & Hill helps clients gather the police report, medical records, and proof of residence that MVAIC requires. Missing one of these steps can cost you benefits you would otherwise qualify for.
Compensation You May Recover
The value of a hit-and-run claim depends on your injuries, the coverage available, and the evidence. Pay records, medical bills, and doctors’ notes all help show what the crash has cost you.
Your claim may include the cost of treatment, the paychecks you’ve missed, and any drop in what you can earn going forward. You may also recover for pain and suffering if your injury meets the state’s serious injury threshold. Keep a simple journal of how the injury affects your sleep, work, and daily life.
If you were partly at fault, your recovery shrinks by that share, but it doesn’t disappear. If the driver is later found, we can also pursue a claim against that driver’s own insurance.
Why Hudson Families Choose Shulman & Hill
In the years since our 2013 founding, our clients have recovered over $1 billion, and we’ve represented more than 26,000 people. We aren’t a high-volume firm, and we focus on strategy and results for each case. Those results reflect earlier cases and can’t forecast the result of yours.
Together, our lawyers have more than 200 years in practice. If you were driving for work when you were hit, we can handle your workers’ comp claim and your injury claim together. We can also meet you near home, so you don’t have to travel while you heal.
Our fee is contingent, meaning it comes only out of a recovery. Your written fee agreement with us spells out how fees and case costs work.
Speak With a Hudson Hit and Run Lawyer Today
You don’t have to find the driver before you call us. With a hit and run lawyer in Hudson on your side, the 24-hour, 30-day, and 90-day deadlines get handled while you rest.
Bring whatever you have, from the police report number to photos and medical records. Call Shulman & Hill now to start your free case review, and we’ll handle the next steps.
